United States Court of Federal Claims, 2019

Howe v. Secretary of Health and Human Services

United States Court of Federal Claims · Decided May 29, 2019 · Nora Beth Dorsey

Opinion

In the United States Court of Federal Claims

OFFICE OF SPECIAL MASTERS No. 17-1914V Filed: March 21, 2019 UNPUBLISHED

DARLENE HOWE,

Petitioner, v. Special Processing Unit (SPU); Joint

Stipulation on Damages; Tetanus SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND Diphtheria acellular Pertussis (Tdap) HUMAN SERVICES, Vaccine; Shoulder Injury Related to

Vaccine Administration (SIRVA) Respondent.

Leah VaSahnja Durant, Law Offices of Leah V. Durant, PLLC, Washington, DC, for petitioner.

Lisa Ann Watts, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for respondent.

DECISION ON JOINT STIPULATION1

Dorsey, Chief Special Master:

On December 8, 2017, petitioner filed a petition for compensation under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program, 42 U.S.C. §300aa-10, et seq.,2 (the “Vaccine Act”). Petitioner alleges that she suffered a left shoulder injury related to vaccine administration (“SIRVA”) as the result of a tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis (“Tdap”) vaccination she received on September 15, 2016 . Petition at 1; Stipulation, filed March 21, 2019, at ¶¶ 2, 4. Petitioner further alleges that she received the vaccination in the United States, that she suffered the effects of her injury for more than six months, and that there has been no prior award or settlement of a civil action for damages on her behalf as a result of her condition. Petition at 2; Stipulation at ¶¶ 3- 5. “Respondent denies that the Tdap vaccine caused petitioner’s alleged left SIRVA, or any other injury, and further denies that petitioner’s current disabilities are sequelae of a vaccine-related injury. ” Stipulation at ¶ 6.

Nevertheless, on March 21, 2019, the parties filed the attached joint stipulation, stating that a decision should be entered awarding compensation. The undersigned finds the stipulation reasonable and adopts it as the decision of the Court in awarding damages, on the terms set forth therein.

Pursuant to the terms stated in the attached Stipulation, the undersigned awards the following compensation:

A lump sum of $85,845.00 in the form of a check payable to petitioner. Stipulation at ¶ 8. This amount represents compensation for all items of damages that would be available under § 15(a). Id. The undersigned approves the requested amount for petitioner’s compensation. In the absence of a motion for review filed pursuant to RCFC Appendix B, the clerk of the court is directed to enter judgment in accordance with this decision.3 IT IS SO ORDERED. s/Nora Beth Dorsey Nora Beth Dorsey Chief Special Master

3 Pursuant to Vaccine Rule 11(a), entry of judgment can be expedited by the parties’ joint filing of notice renouncing the right to seek review.

1 The undersigned intends to post this decision on the United States Court of Federal Claims' website. This means the decision will be available to anyone with access to the internet. In accordance with Vaccine Rule 18(b), petitioner has 14 days to identify and move to redact medical or other information, the disclosure of which would constitute an unwarranted invasion of privacy. If, upon review, the undersigned agrees that the identified material fits within this definition, the undersigned will redact such material from public access. Because this unpublished decision contains a reasoned explanation for the action in this case, undersigned is required to post it on the United States Court of Federal Claims' website in accordance with the E-Government Act of 2002. 44 U.S.C. § 3501 note (2012) (Federal Management and Promotion of Electronic Government Services). 2 National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986, Pub. L. No. 99-660, 100 Stat. 3755. Hereinafter, for ease of citation, all “§” references to the Vaccine Act will be to the pertinent subparagraph of 42 U.S.C. § 300aa (2012).

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